Utah RB Wayshawn Parker earns Big 12 Player of the Week honors after Iowa State
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Utah Utes running back Wayshawn Parker has been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, per a news release from the conference on Monday.
Parker put together an impressive performance to open up Big 12 play at Iowa State with a 31-17 win over the Cyclones. He led the Utes with 174 yards and three touchdowns. His 239 all-purpose yards from scrimmage were the most by a Ute since 2021 (Britain Covey — 252 yards in the Rose Bowl vs. Ohio State). This was by far the best game of Parker's career and came at the right time. Also, there were some hits he took from Iowa State's defense that were questionable. However, he fought through the cheap shots and turned lifted the Utes to victory.
Parker has hit the "hat trick" mark in touchdowns three times this season. He's currently second in FBS and leads the Big 12 with nine total touchdowns. Outside of that, Parker also ranks in the top 20 for rushing and receiving touchdowns, along with yards per carry (6.5).
Utah's high-flying offense under Kevin McGiven has been outstanding. They have yet to score under 31 points in a game and have added some style points in the process. The Utes are ranked in the top 15 nationally for both yards and points per game. They're one of three Big 12 teams near the top for both categories, joining BYU and Houston.
After a week of rest, Utah will be back in action at home against the Kansas Jayhawks on Oct. 10. This is a great time for Morgan Scalley's team to regather and hit the rest of the season with a renewed attack.
Out of Utah's remaining games, there are only two against ranked opponents and both at Rice-Eccles Stadium. No. 20 Houston comes to town on Oct. 24. The Cougars are 3-1 through the first four games with a close loss at Texas Tech.
Two weeks later, BYU comes to Salt Lake City for the latest edition of the Holy War. This could be the one game in the Big 12 race with the most significance. Kalani Sitake and the Cougars hit a major matchup with Notre Dame three weeks before facing the Utes. While that game could have an impact on the College Football Playoff setup, the Holy War could be a play-in game for the Big 12 Championship.
Utah welcomes Kansas into Salt Lake City next Saturday. The game time and TV lineup has yet to be announced.
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